Flash lamp



Aug. 10 1926. J. C. FORD FLASH LAMP Filed June 12'. 1923 Patented Aug;10, 19 26. I.

- UNITED. {STATES 1,595,146 PATENT OFFICE; I

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"I'LASH LAMP.

Application filed June 1a, 1923. Serial manner.

This invention relates to flash lamps of the type now commonly in use inhomes, garages, etc., wherein a small electric lamp is energized byelectric current from a dry cell contained within a hand graspable casewhich also carries the lamp, the periods of illumination of said lambeing selectively controllable from outside the caseby the user of'thedevice.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this character inwhich the case cover itself is the switch manipulating mem ber',-therebydoing away with expensive and more or less unsightly switches of theprior art, protruding'from the case. A further object is to utilize aspring to not only hold the electric current controlled switch in normalopen position but to ease any jar created movement of the battery towardthe lamp, 2.

movement which in devices of the prior art frequently causes breakage ofthe lamp.

The invention consists in -mechanism capable of attaining the foregoingand other objects, which can be exceedingly easily and cheaply made,which is satisfactory in use and is not readily liable to get out oforder.

More particularly, the invention consists in numerous features anddetails of construction which will be'hereafter more fully set 3 forthin the specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings in which. like numerals designate the sameparts throughout the several views:

. Figure 1 is a central, sectional view through the flash lamp mechanismillustrat ing this invention in its preferred form, the parts being intheposition normally assumed when no current is being delivered to thelamp and the lamp is accordingly extinguished.

Figure 2 is a chan ed position view of the parts of Fi re 1, s owingcurrent passing through an illuminating the electric lamp.

In the exceedingly economical form of .de-

vice shown in the drawings, a tubular case 6 is provided being at theupper end, as viewed in the drawings, permanently, in the particularcase here illustrated, integrally closed by a conventional reflector 8,having a central screw threaded perforation 10 in which a conventionalform of electric light 12 interfits, as shown in the drawings, sothatthe central terminal 14 of the lamp is in the interior of the case 6.The opposite or lower end of case 6 is open, except for a removable cap16, attached to the case by conventional.

screw threads 18 so arranged that when the operator rotates the cover16, the battery 20 inside the case and normally resting on this/ cover16 is moved between the two positions a of Figures 1 and 2, in thelatter of which, the central terminal 22 of the battery contacts thecentral terminal 14 of the lamp 12 with the result that electric currentpasses from the battery through the conventional lam d 12 to themetallic reflector 8 integral wit case 6, through which the currentreturns to the outer surface or terminal of the battery which rests uponand therefore electrically contacts with the cover 16.

Resting upon the upper end of battery 20 and enclosing terminal22 is acoiled spring 24 taking bearing at its upper end in an annularinsulating member 26, frictionally or otherwise detachably held in placeinside the case 6 at the juncture of the reflector 8 therewith. Thisinsulating member 26 is preferably provided at the bearing point of theupper end of the spring 24' with an annular recess 28 into which thespring 24 automatically locks itself so that when the cover 16 and thebattery 20 are wholly removed from the remaining parts of the device,the spring 24 will not drop out of the case 6.

The spring 24 is of sufficient stren h so that it, when given anopportunity, ho ds the battery 20 entirely away from and clear of lampterminal 14, as'viewed in Figure 1, performing thereby the additionalfunction of acting as a'cushion for the battery 20 should the devicewhen positioned as shown in Figure 1 receive a severe jolt on the coverend 16 of the case tending to throw the battery against the lamp. Evenwhen the parts I are in the position of Figure 2 and such a 9& 'olttakes place, the spring 24 presses on the attery so hard, tending tomove it from the position of Figure 2 to that of Figure 1, that thebattery does not exert as dangerous a pressure or blow on the lamp aswould be the case were the spring 24 not present.

In the operation of the device, the parts are normally assembled asshown in Figure 1 and when the user desires light from lamp 12, hesimply rotates the cover 16 on screw threads 18 until the parts assumethe position of Figure 2. When the operator has no further use for lightfrom the lamp, he turns cover 18 in the opposite direction from thatjust described, thereby allowing spring 24 to separate the battery 20from the lamp terminal 14 and thus cut off the current and extinguishthe light.

The manufacture of the device is exceedingly economical in that all theconstructor has to do out of the ordinary is to form the reflector 8 inthe case 6, which is otherwise of conventional construction, place theinsulating member 26 in position and then apply the spring 24, which isthe same type of spring which is conventionally used in other devices ofthe prior art, at the opposite end of the battery 20, in the positionshown in the drawings. The battery and lamp are conventional products.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In mechanism of the class described, a case of current conductingmaterial, means supporting an electric lamp for throwing light outsidethe case, with one terminal inside the case, a battery inside the caseso reciprocable inside the case that one of its terminals moves into andout of engagement with said lamp terminal, a coiled spring adjacent tothe lamp bearing on the case and the battery normally urging the batteryaway from said lamp terminal, means insulating the spring from the case,means in the insulation retaining the spring when the battery is removedfrom the case, and means outside the case adapted to move the batterytoward the lamp terminal.

2. In mechanism of the class described, a case of current conductingmaterial, means supporting an electric lamp for throwing light outsidethe case, with one terminal inside the case, a battery inside the caseso reciprocable inside the case that one of its terminals moves into andout of engagement with said lamp terminal, a coiled spring adjacent tothe lamp bearing on the case and the battery normally urging the batteryaway from said lamp terminal, means insulating the spring from the case,means in the insulation retaining the spring when the battery is removedfrom the case, and a closure cap for the case reciprocable along thecase, adapted to move the battery toward the lamp terminal.

3. In mechanism of the class described, a case of current conductingmaterial, means su orting an electric lamp for throwing light outsidethe case, with its central terminal inside the case, a battery insidethe case so reciprocable inside the case that one of its terminals movesinto and out of engagement with said lamp terminal, a coiled springadjacent to the lamp bearing on the case and the battery normally urgingthe battery away from said lamp terminal, means insulating the springfrom the case, means in the insulation retaining the spring when thebattery is removed from the case, and means outside the case adapted tomove the battery toward the lamp terminal.

4. In mechanism of the class described, a case of current conductingmaterial, means supporting an electric lamp for throwing light outsidethe case, With its central terminal inside the case, a battery insidethe case so reciprocable inside the case that its central terminal movesinto and out of engagement with said lamp terminal, a coiled springadjacent to the lamp bearing on the case and the battery normally urgingthe battery away from said lamp terminal, means insulating the springfrom the case, means in the insulation retaining the spring when thebattery is removed from the case, and means outside the case adapted tomove the battery toward the lamp terminal.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOSEPH 0. FORD.

